Bottle filler valve mechanism



O t 5, 1 6 H. GRANIER 3,209,794

BOTTLE FILLER VALVE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 7, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l [ob HoH8 INVENTOR. HECTOR GRHmaa ATTORNEY Oct. 5, 1965 H. GRANIER BOTTLE FILLER VALVE MECHANISM 5 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Dec. '7, 1962 INVENTOR. Hecroa GRAWER M w. mwMwZ A-r-roaNaY Oct. 5, 1965 H. GRANIER 3,209,794

BOTTLE FILLER VALVE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 7. 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ONE 32 H2 \30 56 H4 58 \o8n0 ua B2 38 4-0 F\ ca. 5

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HECTOR 620mm? A orm -v United States Patent 3,209,794 BOTTLE FILLER VALVE MECHANISM Hector Granier, Vergeze, Gard, France, ass gnor to Geo.

J. Meyer Manufacturing Co., Cudahy, W1s., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Dec. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 243,076 2 Claims. (Cl. 141-46) This invention relates to an improved bottle filler valve mechanism for counterpressure filling machines.

For a detailed description of the type of counterpressure filler valve which this invention was designed to improve, reference is made to US. Patent No. 2,063,326, issued December S, 1936, to G. L. N. Meyer. As will be explained in detail hereinafter, upon closing of the liquid filling valve of such prior filler mechanism, a glob or mass of liquid was left suspended in the neck or the filled bottle which fell into the bottle upon removal of the bottle from the filler valve mechanism. Due to variations in the volume of such glob and due to variations in the neck dimensions of the bottle, variations in the final height of the liquid in a filled bottle resulted. The principal object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a counterpressure filler valve which will fill to a constant height under all circumstances.

A further problem inherent in prior designs was that involved in handling beverages containing a pulp or the like. In prior valves it has been common practice to use a screen or the like to prevent the passage of gas up through the liquid when the liquid level in the bottle reached the open end of the tube which extends into the bottle and serves to carry gas from the bottle during the filling operation. Such a valve was not suitable for handling pulpy liquids since the pulp would quickly clog the screen and cause a malfunction of the valve. A further object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a valve which will readily handle beverages containing coarse fruit pulp or the like.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out in, or be apparent from the specification and claims, as will obvious modifications of the single embodiment shown in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a portion of the filler bowl of a counterpressure filling machine showing a filler valve mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention and positioned within a discharge opening of the bowl with the liquid, gas, fill height, and snifter valves all in closed position;

FIG. 1a is a fragmentary sectional view of the charging valve in open position to initiate the filling cycle;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with both the liquid valve and the charging valve in open position for filling the bottle with liquid from the filler bowl;

FIG. 2a is a fragmentary view of the liquid filler valve showing the choke member in its upward fiow restraining position which it assumes when the level of the liquid in the bottle reaches the ports at the bottom of the gas charging stem;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the parts in the position they will assume immediately after closing of the liquid valve and charging valve;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the combined snift and fill height control valve with the fill height control valve in open position and the shift valve closed;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of the combined shift and fill height control valve with the shift valve open and the fill height valve closed;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the choke member.

The valve of this invention is adapted for use with a 3,209,794 Patented Oct. 5, 1965 ice counterpressure filling machine of well-known design wherein a hermetically sealed rotatable bowl or tank 10 (shown partially) is adapted to contain both a liquid and a gas under pressure. The liquid level 12 in the bowl is maintained within predetermined limits by float control valves or other suitable means and the gas pressure in space 14 (generally about 15 to 60 psi depending on the particular beverage to be handled) in the bowl is also automatically controlled. The bottom 16 of the bowl is provided with a plurality of discharge openings 18 (only one of which is shown) in which the filler valve assembly of this invention is mounted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the filler valve comprises four main operating units: a liquid valve assembly designated 20 which controls the flow of the beverage into a container such as bottle 22; a counterpressure gas or charging valve generally designated 24 which controls the flow of charging gas into bottle 22; a combined snift and fill height control valve 26, the function of which will be explained in detail hereinafter; and a check valve assembly 27 which operates in conjunction with the fill height valve to maintain a constant fill height in the filled bottles.

Liquid valve 20 is comprised of a valve cage member 28 having a flange 39 on the base thereof held tightly against a shoulder 32 in discharge opening 18 by a gasket 34, a shift valve base member 36 and a filler fitting 38. Such parts are held securely in place by means of an anchoring bracket 40 fastened to the bottom of the filler bowl by a machine screw 42 as shown in FIG. 1. Cage member 28 is of substantially frusto-conioal shape having a plurality of side openings 44 therein. Neck 46 serves as a guide for vent tube member 43 mounted for vertical movement within cage member 28. Tube 48 has an enlarged base portion 50 on which is mounted a resilient valve member 52 which cooperates with a ribbed valve seat 54 formed on base member 36 to control flow of liquid from bowl 10 to bottle 22 through filling aperture 56 in base member 36. The top of bottle 22 is positioned in sealed relationship with filling aperture 56 by means of bottle seal member 58 of conventional design. A key slot as is formed in vent tube 48 which cooperates with a pin 62 to restrict relative movement between cage 28 and tube 48.

A vent tube extension or tip 64 having fill height openings 65, 66 therein is threaded into base portion 50 of main vent tube 48 and an upper tube member 68 is threaded to the tip of tube 48. Tip 64 extends down inside a bottle 22 when in filling position and is provided with a spreader member 70 to direct liquid flow outwardly towards the sides of the bottle.

The vent tube 48 and valve member 52 mounted thereon are biased upwardly to open position by a coil spring 72 mounted between neck 46 of valve cage 28 and a cap member '74 secured to tube 48 by a retaining ring 76.

As explained previously, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a valve which can readily handle pulpy liquids without the attendant clogging problems experienced with valves of prior design. The structure for accomplishing this objective includes a choke valve member 78 movably mounted inside the valve cage 28 adjacent filler valve member 52. As shown in FIG. 7, choke valve member 7 8 is of generally conical shape having side openings 80 therein to permit the flow of liquid therethrough. It is also provided with an internally extending flange member 82 on its bottom portion which cooperates with valve member 52 to permit free flow of liquid into the bottle when the parts are in one position (FIG. 2) and to restrict flow when the parts assume a second position (FIG. 2a). A choke valve spring 84 is mounted between base portion 50 of the vent tube 48 and the top portion of the choke valve member to bias such choke valve member upwardly towards its flow restricting position.

The counterpressure gas valve 24 is of conventional design and includes a cap member 86 which fits over the top of vent tube 68 and has ports 88 through the sides to permit passage of counterpressure gas into vent tube 68 when the cap 86 is raised. A spring 90 balances the weight of the cap member 86 and urges it into open position. The upper end of cap member 86 is provided with a closure member 92 which screws into the upper end of the cap to hold a packing 94 in position to form a gas-tight seal with the top of the Vent tube. The closure member 92 has an upwardly extending post 96 having upper and lower shoulders 98 and 100, respectively, formed thereon for operative engagement with an operating lever 102. Lever 102 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 104 which extends through the side of filler bowl 111 for actuation from outside of the bowl in a manner well known in the art.

The combined snift and fill height control valve 26 is comprised of valve actuator stem 166 slidably and rotatably mounted in valve base 36. Base 36 is mounted in discharge opening 18 and extends through the wall of the filler bowl for actuation from outside the bowl. Actuator 106 is held in base 36 by a nut 108 threaded on base 36. An interior chamber 110 formed in base 36 communicates with the flow aperture 56 through a small opening 112.

A snift valve member 114 is mounted on actuator 106 and cooperates with a shift valve seat 116 to vent aperture 56 at the proper time upon actuation of stem 166. A spring 118 serves a bias snift valve 114 to its closed position.

A fill height valve member 120 having an actuating stem 122 is mounted at right angles to stem 1116 and is adapted for cooperation with a fill height seat member 124 to communicate flow aperture 56 with a source 126 of pressure at the proper time in the filling cycle to produce the desired result. Stem 122 is slidably mounted in a bushing member 128 and is actuated by rotation of actuator stem 106. Actuator stem 106 is provided with a cam portion 130 having a notch 132 therein which when rotated will cause the end of stem 122 to ride up out of notch 132 onto cam portion 130 to thereby lift fill height valve 126 off of its seat to admit pressure from source 126 through opening 112 into liquid flow aperture 56.

The fill height valve is actuated from outside the filler bowl by means of a lever member 134 fastened to the end of actuator stem 166 by machine screw 136. Lever 134 is actuated at the propert time by any suitable trip mechanism (not shown). Similarly, the snift valve is actuated from outside the filler bowl by axial actuation of stem 106 at the proper time by a suitable mechanism (not shown).

While any suitable source of gas pressure could be used in conjunction with the fill height valve a source of carbon dioxide gas under pressure is preferred because of its lack of any contaminating influence on the beverage in the filled bottle. The pressure of the carbon dioxide gas must be somewhat greater than that of the gas in the filler bowl to properly evacuate all liquid in the bottle above the level of fill height openings 66 in vent tube extension 64.

The liquid carried from the bottle by the carbon dioxide gas admitted through the fill height valve is discharged back into bowl through check Valve assembly 27. Such assembly is comprised of a valve body portion 138 formed at the lower end of upper vent tube member 68. Body 138 has an expansion chamber 140 therein which communicates with the space 14 above liquid level 12 through openings 142. The flow of carbon gas and liquid from tubes 64 and 48 to the filler bowl is controlled by discshaped valve member 144 which cooperates with seats 146 on body 138 to permit flow from chamber 146 when the pressure in such chamber exceeds that in the filler bowl. The weight of valve disc 144 (and hood 145) together With the pressure acting on the top of disc 144 prevents opening of the valve during charging of the bottle to be filled. A hood member 145 is slidably mounted on stem 68 on top of valve disc 144 to prevent excessive riling of the liquid in the bowl when the fill height valve means.

4 is in operation. Hood 145 has openings 148 in the top thereof through which the carbon dioxide gas can escape. The liquid discharged through the check valve will flow down the inside of the skirt of the hood back into the liquid in the bowl.

Operation In operation, bowl 111 is charged in the usual manner with liquid and gas under pressure while the filler valves are in closed position as shown in FIG. 1. A bottle is raised by any suitable means into sealing engagement with the resilient bottle seal member 58.

The filling cycle is then initiated by opening charging valve 24 (FIG. 1a) to admit gas under pressure to the bottle through the vent tube. Valve 24 is opened by actuation of lever 102 which together with spring will cause cap member 86 to slide upwardly to open position.

When the pressure in the bottle is approximately equal to the pressure in the bowl the stem assembly on which liquid valve member 52 is mounted will be raised from the position shown in FIG. 1 to that shown in FIG. 2. As valve member 52 is raised from its seat 54, liquid will fiow by gravity from bowl 111 through aperture 56 into the open end of bottle 22. Such flow will react on choke member 78 causing it to move downwardly (against the bias of spring 84) from the position shown in FIG. 1 to that shown in FIG. 2. With choke member 78 in the FIG. 2 position, restricting flange 32 thereon will be spaced from valve member 52 to permit free flow of liquid into the bottle. It will be appreciated that such unimpaired fiow will facilitate handling of liquids containing pulpy materials. During this filling step the gas displaced in the bottle by the incoming liquid is vented through ports 66 in tube 64 for flow back into the bowl through open charging valve 24 as shown in FIG. 2.

When the liquid level in the bottle reaches ports 66 in tube 64 gas flow therethrough will be retarded which in turn will retard liquid flow past choke 78 and liquid valve member 52. When this condition occurs choke spring 84 will be efiective to raise choke member 78 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to that shown in FIG. 2a. With the choke valve in the FIG. 20 position, the flow restricting flange 82 thereon will be positioned closely adjacent valve member 52 to thereby virtually close off the flow passage from bowl into aperture 56. With the flow thus restricted, filling will automatically cease when the liquid level in the bottle covers ports 66 in stem 64. Thus it is seen that choke member 7 8 will permit full flow of liquid during the filling step and will then move upwardly at the end of such step to mechanically block flow to the bottle to thereby prevent further escape of gas from the bottle after the liquid level reaches ports 66. With the gas escape stopped filling will automatically cease.

The next step in the cycle is to close both the charging valve 24 and liquid valve 26 to thereby move the parts from the FIG. 2a position to the FIG. 3 position. This is accomplished by pivoting lever 102 to slide valve cap 36 down against the bias of spring 90 which, in turn, will contact the top of tube 68 to thereby slide the vent tube assembly down against the bias of spring 72. The downward movement of tube 48 will cause valve member 52 to move into sealing engagement with valve seat 54.

At this point in the cycle it was formerly the practice to vent aperture 56 by actuating the shift valve member 114 and to then lower the filled bottle from sealing member 53 for capping. The resulting was that the liquid glob which was left suspended in the area of aperture 56 when liquid valve 52 was closed would then fall back down into the bottle. Since such glob itself would vary in volume and since the dimensions of the bottle neck would vary from bottle to bottle, the final fill height of the liquid in the bottle would also vary. To eliminate this problem and provide a constant fill height under all circumstances an added step is performed at this point in the filling cycle.

Such step involves the introduction of a gas under pressure to filling aperture 56 which gas is efiective to carry all liquid suspended in aperture 56 and the neck of the bottle above ports 66 up through stems 64 and 48 and out check valve 27 into the filler bowl. This is accomplished by actuating lever 134 to pivot stem 106 and thereby open fill height valve member 120 as shown in FIG. 4. The opening of valve 120 will admit carbon dioxide under pressure from source 126 into aperture 56 through opening 112. The carbon dioxide gas will flow into stem 64 through ports 66 forcing all liquid above such ports up through stems 64 and 48 and back into bowl through check valve 27. As explained previously, hood 145 mounted on top of disc valve 144 will cause such liquid to flow down inside the hood to thereby minimize any riling effect in the bowl during this step. The gas passing through valve 127 will escape into space 14 in the bowl through openings 148 in hood 145. The fill height valve 120 is held open for only a short time interval since only a short time is required to clear the suspended glob of liquid from aperture 56. The charge of carbon dioxide will force all liquid from the bottle down to the level of the ports 66 as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 3.

The next step after the fill height valve 120 has been closed, is to exhaust the space between the liquid valve 52 and the liquid level in the bottle. This is accomplished by depressing stem 106 against the bias of spring 118 to thereby lift valve member 114 from seat 116 to vent the bottle. After such venting the bottle is lowered from sealing member 58 and capped. It should be noted at this point that when the bottle 22 is lowered from the filler valve there is no liquid suspended in aperture 56 which can fall back into the bottle as was the case with prior valves. Thus, the level in the bottle will always remain at the exact height of ports 66 in stem 64 irrespective of the dimension of the bottle neck. It is also noted that by purging the bottle with carbon dioxide gas by means of fill height valve 120 and check valve 27 an essentially carbon dioxide atmosphere is preserved in the bottle above the liquid level. Thus, the possibility of contamination of the bottle contents due to the presence of air in the bottle is substantially reduced by the use of the filler valve mechanism of this invention.

It should be noted that by the use of choke member 78 the amount of liquid left suspended in aperture 56 is less than if a screen or similar member is used. Thus, choke '78 cooperates with the fill height valve to produce a constant fill height in that the choke 78 reduces the source of the trouble, namely the glob of suspended liquid at the discharge opening of the filler valve.

Throughout this specification the container to be filled by the mechanism of the present invention has been referred to as a bottle. It should be understood, however,

that the term bottle as used in the specification and claims includes other similar containers such as cans, etc.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve mechanism for a counterpressure bottle filler having a filler bowl adapted to contain a liquid and a gas under pressure and having a discharge opening therein comprising:

a movable stem mounted in the discharge opening and having a fill height port in the lower part thereof;

a liquid control valve mounted on said stem and adapted to control flow of liquid from the bowl through the discharge opening; I

a gas control valve on said stem to control flow of gas through said stem; and

fill height control means for removing all liquid from the bottle above the level of said fill height port in said stem, said fill height control means including a source of gas under pressure communicating with the discharge opening and said fill height port, a valve for controlling flow from said source to the discharge opening, and a check valve means on said stem for permitting flow of gas and liquid from the discharge opening and bottle through said stem and into the filler bowl, said gas pressure at said source being in excess of the gas pressure in said filler bowl, and said check valve means including a movable check valve member and a hood member mounted on said stem with said hood partially submerged in the liquid in the bowl and positioned to enclose said check valve member, said hood having an opening in the upper portion thereof.

2. A valve mechanism according to claim 1 in which there is an expansion chamber formed in said stem adjacent said check valve means through which said gas and liquid must pass when flowing from said discharge opening to said check valve means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,063,326 6/33 Meyer 141-39 2,783,785 3/57 Day et al. 141-48 FOREIGN PATENTS 446,583 2/48 Canada. 1,23 8,284 7/60 France.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A VALVE MECHANISM FOR A COUNTERPRESSURE BOTTLE FILLER HAVING A FILLER BOWL ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A LIQUID AND A GAS UNDER PRESSURE AND HAVING A DISCHARGE THEREIN COMPRISING: A MOABLE STEM MOUNTED IN THE DISCHARGE OPENING AND HAVING A FILL HEIGHT PORT IN THE LOWER PART THEREOF; A LIQUID CONTROL VALVE MOUNTED ON SAID STEM AND ADAPTED TO CONTROL FLOW OF LIQUID FROM THE BOWL THROUGH THE DISCHARGE OPENING; A GAS CONTROL VALVE ON SAID STEM TO CONTROL FLOW OF GAS THROUGH SAID STEM; AND FILL HEIGHT CONTROL MEANS FOR REMOVING ALL LIQUID FROM THE BOTTLE ABOVE THE LEVEL OF SAID FILL HEIGHT PORT IN SAID STEM, SAID FILL HEIGHT CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING A SOURCE OF GAS UNDER PRESSURE COMMUNICATING WITH THE DISCHARGED OPENING AND SAID FILL HEIGHT PORT, A VALVE FOR CONTROLLING FLOW FROM SAID SOURCE TO THE DISCHARGE OPENING, AND A CHECK VALVE MEANS ON THE SAID STEM FOR PERMITTING FLOW OF GAS AND LIQUID FROM THE DISCHARGE OPENING AND BOTTLE THROUGH SAID STEM AND INTO THE FILLER BOWL, SAID GAS PRESSURE AST SAID SOURCE BEING IN EXCESS OF THE GAS PRESSURE IN SAID FILLER BOWL, AND SAID CHECK VALVE MEANS INCLUDING A MOVABLE CHECK VALVE MEMBER AND A HOOD MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID STEM WEITH SAID HOOD PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN THE LIQUID IN THE BOWL AND POSITIONED TO ENCLOSE SAID CHECK VALVE MEMBER, SAID HOOD HAVING AN OPENING IN THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF. 